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Human CD4+CD25highCD127low/neg Regulatory T Cells

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Human Cell Culture Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 806))

Abstract

CD4+CD25highCD127low/neg regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a critical role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance and in controlling the development of autoimmune diseases. A combination of surface and intracellular markers, namely, CD25, CD39/CD73, CD62L, CD45RO, CD127, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), CTLA-4, and the forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (FOXP3), has been used to characterize Tregs. Tregs suppress T effector responses mainly in a direct cell–cell contact manner. However, other mechanisms independent from this manner cannot be excluded entirely. It has been shown that Tregs can undergo limited expansion in vitro after the stimulation of TCR in the presence of exogenous cytokines, e.g., IL-2. Expanded Tregs retain their suppression function. Human Tregs have demonstrated their great potential to be used as a therapeutic intervention in preventing graft rejection and treating autoimmune diseases. In this chapter, we have given a review on how to characterize, isolate, expand Tregs and assess their suppressive functions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Liver Transplantation, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing, China

    Haibin Su

  2. Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College Hospital, London, UK

    Maria Serena Longhi, Pengyun Wang, Diego Vergani & Yun Ma

Authors
  1. Haibin Su
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  2. Maria Serena Longhi
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  3. Pengyun Wang
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  4. Diego Vergani
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  5. Yun Ma
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Correspondence to Yun Ma .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom

    Ragai R. Mitry

  2. School of Medicine, Inst. Liver Studies, King's College London, Bessemer Rd., London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom

    Robin D. Hughes

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Su, H., Longhi, M.S., Wang, P., Vergani, D., Ma, Y. (2012). Human CD4+CD25highCD127low/neg Regulatory T Cells. In: Mitry, R., Hughes, R. (eds) Human Cell Culture Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 806. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-367-7_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-367-7_20

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